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The role of interbasin groundwater transfers in geologically complex terranes, demonstrated by the Great Basin in the western United States

Le rôle des transferts d’eaux souterraines interbassins dans des formations géologiques complexes, exemple du Grand Bassin, Ouest des Etats-Unis

El papel de las transferencias de agua subterránea intercuencas en terrenos geológicamente complejos, demostrado por la Great Basin en el oeste de Estados Unidos

地质复杂岩层中跨流域地下水转移的作用—以美国西部大盆地为例

Importância das transferências de água subterrânea entre bacias hidrográficas em terrenos geologicamente complexos, demonstrada pela Grande Bacia no oeste dos Estados Unidos

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Abstract

In the Great Basin, USA, bedrock interbasin flow is conceptualized as the mechanism by which large groundwater fluxes flow through multiple basins and intervening mountains. Interbasin flow is propounded based on: (1) water budget imbalances, (2) potential differences between basins, (3) stable isotope evidence, and (4) modeling studies. However, water budgets are too imprecise to discern interbasin transfers and potential differences may exist with or without interbasin fluxes. Potentiometric maps are dependent on conceptual underpinnings, leading to possible false inferences regarding interbasin transfers. Isotopic evidence is prone to non-unique interpretation and may be confounded by the effects of climate change. Structural and stratigraphic considerations in a geologically complex region like the Great Basin should produce compartmentalization, where increasing aquifer size increases the odds of segmentation along a given flow path. Initial conceptual hypotheses should explain flow with local recharge and short flow paths. Where bedrock interbasin flow is suspected, it is most likely controlled by diversion of water into the damage zones of normal faults, where fault cores act as barriers. Large-scale bedrock interbasin flow where fluxes must transect multiple basins, ranges, and faults at high angles should be the conceptual model of last resort.

Résumé

Dans le Grand Bassin, Etats-Unis, l’écoulement interbassin en domaine de socle constitue un mécanisme par lequel des flux importants d’eaux souterraines s’écoulent à travers plusieurs bassins et seuils associés. Le mécanisme d’écoulement interbassin proposé est basé sur: (1) les déséquilibres de bilans, (2) les différences de charge hydraulique entre bassins, 3) les preuves apportées par les isotopes stables, et (4) des études de modélisation. Cependant, les bilans de nappe sont trop peu précis pour discerner les transferts interbassins, et des différences de charge peuvent exister, avec ou sans transferts interbassins. Les cartes piézométriques dépendent de concepts sous-jacents, conduisant à des déductions erronées quant aux transferts interbassins. L’expertise isotopique est sujette à interprétations multiples et faussée par les effets du changement climatique. Les considérations structurales et stratigraphiques dans une région géologiquement complexe telle celle du Grand Bassin devraient conduire à une compartimentation, où l’augmentation de la taille d’un aquifère augmente les particularités suivant un axe d’écoulement donné. Les hypothèses conceptuelles initiales devraient expliquer un écoulement avec une recharge locale et des chemins d’écoulements courts. Là où l’on suppose un flux interbassin à travers le socle il est très probablement contrôlé par l’écoulement de l’eau à travers les zones altérées de failles normales, dont les plans jouent le rôle de barrières. L’écoulement interbassins à grande échelle à travers le socle, où les flux doivent traverser des bassins multiples, des seuils et des failles à fort pendage, devrait être le modèle conceptuel de dernier recours.

Resumen

En la Great Basin, EEUU, el flujo intercuenca en el basamento está conceptualizado como el mecanismo por el cual grandes flujos de agua subterránea fluyen a través de múltiples cuencas y de las montañas interpuestas. Se propuso el flujo intercuenca basado en: (1) desequilibrios en el balance de agua, (2) diferencias potenciales entre cuencas, (3) evidencias de isótopos estables, y (4) estudios de modelación. Sin embargo, los balances de agua son demasiados imprecisos para discernir las transferencias intercuencas y pueden existir diferencias de potencial con o sin flujos intercuencas. Los mapas potenciométricos dependen de fundamentos conceptuales, que conducen a a posibles inferencias falsas en relación a las transferencias intercuencas. La evidencia isotópica es propensa a una interpretación que no es única y puede ser confundida por los efectos del cambio climático. Las consideraciones estructurales y estratigráficas en una región geológicamente compleja como la Great Basin deben producir una compartimentación, donde el tamaño creciente del acuífero incrementa las posibilidades de segmentación a lo larga de una trayectoria de flujo dada. Las hipótesis conceptuales iniciales las deben explicar el flujo de con la recarga local y las trayectorias cortas de flujo. Se sospecha que la existencia del flujo intercuencas en el basamento está muy probablemente controlado por el desvío dentro de las zonas de daño de las fallas normales, donde los núcleos de las falla actúan como barreras. El flujo intercuenca en el basamento a gran escala donde los flujos deben atravesar múltiples cuencas, cordilleras y fallas de alto ángulo deben ser el modelo conceptual del último recurso.

摘要

在美国大盆地,基岩跨流域水流机理概念化为大的地下水通量流经多个盆地和介于中间的山脉。跨流域水流基于下列原因而提出:(1)水量收支不平衡,(2)流域之间的势差,(3)稳定同位素证据,(4)建模研究。然而,水量收支很不精确以至于不能识别流域间的转移,有流域间通量或没有流域间通量,都可能存在势差。静水压面图取决于概念基础,导致跨流域转可能移虚假的推断。同位素证据倾向于非唯一解译,可能被气候变化影响所混淆。地质复杂地区如大盆地中构造及地层上的考量应该能够对此划分,在此,增大的含水层规模增加了沿水流流径的分割的可能性。最初概念假设可以解释具有当地补给及短流径的水流。在 怀疑有基岩跨流域水流的地方,水流很可能受水转移进入正常断层损伤带的控制,在正常断层,断层核心充当屏障。通量很可能高角度横切多个盆地、山脉和 断层的大型基岩跨流域水流应当是不得已的概念模型。

Resumo

Na Grande Bacia, nos EUA, concetualiza-se o escoamento no bedrock entre bacias hidrográficas, como o mecanismo pelo qual grandes fluxos subterrâneos atravessam múltiplas bacias e montanhas intercaladas. A suposição da existência de fluxo subterrâneo entre bacias baseia-se em: (1) desequilíbrios no balanço hídrico, (2) diferenças no potencial hidráulico entre bacias, (3) evidências de isótopos estáveis, e (4) estudos de modelação. No entanto, os balanços hídricos são demasiado imprecisos para diferenciar possíveis transferências entre bacias e, relativamente às diferenças de potencial hidráulico, estas podem existir independentemente de haver ou não fluxo entre bacias. Os mapas potenciométricos dependem de pressupostos concetuais, levando a possíveis falsas inferências relativamente às transferências entre bacias. As evidências isotópicas são sujeitas à interpretação não-exclusiva e podem ser confundidas pelos efeitos das alterações climáticas. Numa região geologicamente complexa, como a da Grande Bacia, as considerações estruturais e estratigráficas deverão induzir uma compartimentalização, onde, à medida que aumenta a dimensão de um aquífero, crescem as hipóteses de segmentação ao longo de um determinado caminho de fluxo. As suposições concetuais iniciais devem procurar explicar o escoamento com base em recarga local e caminhos de fluxo curtos. Onde se suspeita de fluxo subterrâneo entre bacias através do bedrock, ele será muito provavelmente controlado pelo desvio de água em zonas afetadas por falhas normais, onde os núcleos atuam como barreiras. O fluxo subterrâneo inter-bacias de grande escala através do bedrock deve atravessar várias bacias, cadeias montanhosas e falhas com ângulos elevados e deverá ser considerado o modelo concetual de último recurso.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported, in part, by a Brigham Young University mentoring environment grant, as well as funding and logistical support from the Department of Geological Sciences and the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. The authors appreciate the hard work and insights of graduate students that contributed much of the fundamental data. Excellent reviews from anonymous reviewers and the associate editor are especially appreciated.

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Nelson, S.T., Mayo, A.L. The role of interbasin groundwater transfers in geologically complex terranes, demonstrated by the Great Basin in the western United States. Hydrogeol J 22, 807–828 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-014-1104-6

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